Learn how to cure Crohns disease naturally

Learn how to cure Crohns disease naturally

Today we had the pleasure to chat to David Donovan Brown who against doctors advice for medication, healed himself naturally from crohns disease.

What an inspirational and positive story, showing how imbalances in your body can be cured naturally.

“I was diagnosed with crohns disease in April 2015 but I had been suffering for much longer without a diagnosis.

By the time I was diagnosed I had already started to change my eating and drinking habits. I gave up smoking and consuming alcohol in June 2014 so I was already 10 months into that journey and I had also gone from vegetarian to vegan shortly before that.

In 2014 I was training for the Paris marathon and I started to notice quite drastic weight loss which ultimately lead to my diagnosis.

It turned out that my Ileocecal Valve had developed scar tissue and was almost closed and I couldn’t absorb nutrients effectively. I was also diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia and my small and large intestines were covered in ulcers.

I was told that I may need surgery to open the Ileocecal Valve and my specialist recommended that I start a 2 year treatment plan of Immunosuppressants.

I made a decision not to accept that recommendation, mainly because of the experience I had when I was 21.

At 21 I was diagnosed with Minimal Change Syndrome which is the most common single form of nephrotic syndrome in children. It was extremely rare to be diagnosed with this as an adult and the treatment was a couple of years taking steroids and immunosuppressants. I was lucky to beat the odds and achieve remission but the treatment certainly took its toll. After I made the decision to treat myself I started researching gut health and its effects on the body.

Through this research I became convinced that part of my problem was an imbalance in my microbiome. I have suffered with numerous autoimmune conditions at various stages of my life, asthma, hay fever, eczema, minimal change syndrome and most recently crohns disease and in my opinion an imbalance in the gut can play a big part in autoimmune conditions.”

Gut health

“The following is an overview of the information I found interesting and it gives you an idea of why gut health is so important when dealing autoimmune disease.

Our highest number of immune cells can be found in the gut.

Up to 70% of them reside there as it is in direct contact with the outside world through the food we consume. To keep the host immune system away from the bacteria in our gut we have a barrier that is made from mucosa, the gut lining. This lining regulates the immune response to pathogens and microbes. Billions of these microbes reside in our gut but the majority live towards the end of the GI tract in or near the colon. The intestinal microbiota play a large role in the biochemical signalling that takes place between the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system. The gut microbiota is believed to be involved in the regulation of anxiety, pain, cognition and mood.

Much of the food we eat in the western world is laden in simple carbohydrates, refined sugars and fats. All of these things get absorbed in the upper GI tract and leave our microbes essentially starving. There’s no complex carbohydrates to feed this community.

Once starved these microbes can begin to feed on the mucosa that makes up our gut lining and over time this can lead to thinning of the lining, resulting in the microbes getting closer to the human aspect of our GI tract. A key component of any diet should be dietary fibre. As dietary fibre, vegetables, whole grains and fruit can reach our microbiota in the colon and ferment the microbes can feed which in turn leads to the production of Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA). Our body absorbs the SCFA’s and they have a number of positive impacts.

One of the benefits is the production of regulatory T-Cells also know as T-REGS, a component of the immune system that suppress the immune responses of other cells. Essentially this is a self-check built into the immune system that prevents excessive reactions. A lack of SCFA’s can lead to a hyper active immune system, associated with auto-immune disease. It can also inhibit cells producing mucosa adding to the effect of our starved microbes consuming it.”

Biggest hurdles

“The biggest hurdles I faced were things that you don’t readily associate with crohns disease.

The first was anxiety. I spent a year having up to ten panic attacks a day. I would often end up in hospital strapped to an ECG machine. The outcome would always be the same. My white blood cell count would be through the roof but my heart rhythms were fine.

I would be given an IV and sent home.

Through research into the gut I now know that there is a link between gut health, anxiety and depression

and since I have started treating my gut my anxiety has vanished.

The second hurdle was hair loss.

My hair started falling out rapidly around 3 years ago when I was suffering the worst of my flare ups and having regular panic attacks. This is something that hasn’t vanished although it has stabilised and I am working on subduing my ego and coming to terms with it. Maybe it will grow back maybe not but it takes a back seat to my overall health now which is a step forward.

So I think the bottom line is you need to make quite drastic changes to your lifestyle to give yourself the best chance of remission naturally. I no longer drink alcohol, smoke tobacco or eat meat. I supplement with Biokult and Testa Omega 3. I make my own sauerkraut, kimchi and sourdough and I eat a diet rich in fibre. I exercise everyday in the gym or I go climbing. I stopped driving and bought a bike.

I changed my profession as my previous job working as a salesman and being led by money was too stressful and ultimately fruitless. I was earning a lot of money but I had no free time to enjoy it and my health was suffering at the same time.

I went back to university and in 2014 I graduated with BA (Hons) in Documentary Photography.

Who are fiercely passionate about making raw, nutritious food and drinks for delivery to work or home in and around Manchester. The also present fermenting workshops and can be found a various local food events and are part of the food assembly in South Manchester.